Brother, How Did It Come To This?
by Last of the Loneliness
Summary: Sveta is queen. Alex wishes to be king and doesn't care what methods he has to use. The Queen is walking a narrow line, but with no allies to come to her aid, how far is she from slipping...?
1. A Note He'll Never Read

Brother, How Did it Come to This?

A faint breeze, cold with the chill of evening, blew out of the great marble tomb, bringing with it the sound of sobs. The crypt was a truly magnificent structure, situated on the water's edge to catch the light of the rising sun. During the day the people would come to pay homage to the king that had died to save them. Now, though, in an evening that was rapidly fading into night, the last visitors had gone and were no longer in the tomb.

But someone was.

Deep in the halls of the marble structure a figure bent, her slim shoulders shaking as she sat, hunched over the statue. It was a perfect replica of the late king, down to the last colorless facets of his cold stone face. The statue lay, covering the body that was already beginning to decay.

Her hair was unbraided for once and flowing down over her shoulders in faint waves. Her slim circlet crown sat to one side. As she bent over it, drops of wetness stained the rock a shade darker than it should have been. The grave was adorned with fresh roses. A piece of silk ribbon tied a note around the stems of the flowers. On the paper seven words had been scrawled haphazardly.

_Brother, how did it come to this?_

Even in the depths of the mausoleum a cold wind still reached, and it caught the ribbon, ripping the note away from the flowers and out into the open evening air. She watched it go, uncaring, her green eyes still slightly moist and dripping.

Outside of the stone structure a man walked, purposefully, heading toward the tomb not to pay respects to the dead king but to retrieve what he considered to be rightfully his. The note flew out toward him, still carried on a breeze, until he caught it with two gloved fingers, as easily as standing up.

He read the words inscribed on it and smirked slightly, his blue eyes cold and hard as he tossed the paper aside. It was caught by a breeze and floated away, high in the air.

At long last the final candle that lit the chamber blew out and the queen looked around, blinking slightly in the sudden darkness. She steeled her nerves, preparing to return to her castle and her people. She stood up, lithe and graceful, and picked up the golden circlet with her clawlike hand before returning it to her forehead. She ran her fingers through her white-lavender hair and then braided it once more into two braids that flowed down her back. She turned and walked quickly toward the doors.

He was waiting for her at the entrance to the tomb, the same smirk covering his lips as he looked at her. One half of his face was obscured by a mask, while long blue hair framed his face and ran down his back. His clothes were richly embroidered, even more so than her own. She did not acknowledge him. She did not have to. He took her hand easily and stroked one hand down the back of her neck. His touch sent chills down her spine.

"My dear Sveta."

"…Alex."

* * *

"I'm worried about the queen."

The words were quiet, spoken in the darkness, a passing from one nobleman to the other. The one who had spoken was black-haired and clean-shaven. His face was angular and his eyes slanted, their pupils slits. The other was shorter and slightly squat, with a bushy red beard and very little hair on his scalp.

"I, as well…but there is little that we can do, is there not?"

The dark-haired man shrugged, hopelessly, though his eyes were glinting with something more than desperation.

"I think that we should send for the Lord Matthew."

"The one who aided the Queen in stopping the eclipse?" the red-haired man said, trying to clarify his answer.

"What other Matthew is there?" the dark-haired man hissed, looking furtively over his shoulder. He might have been paranoid, or there could have been a real cause for his fears. The red-haired man didn't care to find out.

They stood in a narrow hallway in the west wing of the palace. Its windows overlooked the water that gleamed in the moonlight. The windows were open and the curtains were blowing in the breeze. In the dead of night, nothing made any sound but their quiet voices.

"Sorry," the red-haired man said, his voice low. "To do what exactly? Come here and help the Queen?"

"If he saved the world, he can save our Queen," the other man said, trying to sound determined but his voice only cracking on the last word. "We can send out a messenger."

The red-haired man nodded, liking the idea. "I'll hire someone to go tomorrow morning."

"No!" The dark-haired one shook his head. "Tonight. We need to get him as soon as possible."

"Why?"

Once more the dark-haired man glanced around before speaking. "He is going to propose to the Queen. Very soon, if my sources are correct. If we allow that to happen, disentangling Her Majesty from that...bastard will become very difficult indeed."

"Bastard? How very rude of you."

Both men wheeled around, searching for the source of the third voice. It took them a few seconds of wild glancing around before they saw the tall, blue-haired man leaning against one of the pillars that lined the hall, the curtains blowing around him and his arms relaxed, folded across his chest.

"Alex!" The dark-haired man almost made the name a swear as he backed up, unsure of what exactly to do. The red-haired man next to him was no help, simply standing petrified and staring with fear at the man who had appeared in front of them.

"That's Lord Alex," he said, his tone almost bored as he straightened and took a few deliberate steps toward them.

"You are not king," the dark-haired man said defiantly.

"No," Alex agreed, shrugging. "But I will be." He strode forward until he was nearly pinning the dark-haired man to the opposite wall. "Now, I really must make this quick. I'm sure Sveta is quite cold in her bed without me to warm her."

"Bastard," the dark-haired man said again, his eyes narrowing in rage and hate.

"Perhaps," Alex said, before raising one hand to the other man's chest. Without any visible signs, he sent his Psynergy out in a wave. The water in the man's body instantly reacted and surged outward. He erupted from the inside out, his organs liquefying and blood spilling onto the carpet below.

Alex turned toward the second man, his eyes cold as the ice he commanded.

"Please!" the red-haired man pleaded, though he surely knew that it was useless to resist. "He was the one who came up with the idea. I was just following orders, I swear! He outranks me!"

"That's not what it sounded like to me," Alex said, playful and deadly.

"I'll give you money!" the man said. "Status! A vacation home! Anything you want!"

"No," Alex said pleasantly before raising his hand once more. A slight wave of water rushed out of his hand and pushed the man through the glass window. The glass shattered and the shards, whether of their own accord or on Alex's command, pierced the noble's heart. His corpse fell, limply, into the water that surrounded Belinsk. Alex turned away, his face as calm as ever as he surveyed the scene. With a slight wave of his hand, the glass that sat at the edges of the shattered window was brushed outside, so to give the impression that the window had never had a panel of glass in it. He summoned a small amount of water which quickly dealt with the mess on the carpet. The remnants of the first man's corpse followed the second man's into the ocean.

Then Alex turned and walked back down the hall to return to the bed of his queen and lover.

* * *

The council of Belinsk sat in a wide-spaced room paneled with wood and with an intricate painting on the ceiling. The table they sat at was wooden and shone so perfectly that it was nearly possible for its occupants to see their reflections in it. Sveta sat at one end, in a throne that was elegant in its simplicity. Her crown sat on her head, inlaid with amethyst and lapis-lazuli. She sat alone, for once, Alex not in his usual seat beside her. Around the table, beastmen occupied the seats.

"Our armies have successfully invaded Kaocho," a man from the far side of the table reported, opening a file of papers on his desk. "We have suppressed the uprising and the Emperor is currently in our captivity."

Sveta nodded slowly, before a slight smile split her face. "That's good. Good work, General Vrend. And relations with Ayuthay?"

"Not as good on that front, Your Majesty," Vrend admitted. "Aythuthay is preparing for war, should we attack them. Our missives have all been returned with silence, and King Amiti refuses to see our messengers."

"Why would he do that?" Sveta asked, almost to herself, before turning back to Vrand. "Please continue your efforts. I mean no harm to Amiti or his kingdom. I would have thought he had known that."

Vrand gave a respectful nod. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Sveta looked around the table. "Does anyone else have anything to report?"

One beastman, younger than the others and with spiky black hair, shifted uncomfortably before turning to Sveta. The catlike ears on either side of his head were down. "Your Majesty, if I may…I would like to return to the subject of Lord Alex."

There was a perceptible shift in the mood in the room. Whereas it had been relaxed, if a bit formal, tension now filled the air and was especially visible in Sveta, as her smile disappeared completely and she sat up stiffly in her chair. Others around the room glanced at the noble who had spoken, wishing that he hadn't brought up such a subject once more.

"What about him?" Sveta asked, her tone cold.

"Your Majesty, I know that we have had such military success in Kaocho by using the tactics he suggested, but I cannot help but feel that Ayuthay's current lack of response to us is due, at least in part, to those same tactics," the man said in a rush, after looking around the room for anyone who would support what he was saying. When he found no ally, he shifted awkwardly and stared at his hands.

"What tactics are you referring to?" the Queen asked, her voice still the same icy tone.

"Well, Kaocho was not threatening us in any way," the man said, shrugging. "They have not been particularly belligerent. Yet we invaded, burned their cities and fields, and killed their people until we reached their capital."

"If you'll pardon me, Lord Elkin," Vrand said, abruptly coming to his Queen's defense and his own. His voice was dry, sarcasm embedded in it. "That is what invasion involves. King Wo was reclaiming his forces and rebuilding. It was a matter of time before he set his sights over the mountains. This was not only Alex's choice—it was mine as well. Are you criticizing my methods?"

"Of course not, General," Elkin said, with a respectful dip of his head. "I am sorry. I will not bring this matter up again."

Sveta nodded, seemingly satisfied, and stood at the head of the table. Almost instantly everyone else rose, as if on cue, and gave their respective bows to the Queen as she swept toward the door. The guards opened it, both bowing as well, and Sveta stepped out without really paying attention to where she was going.

She ran headlong into him, as he was relaxing against the wall of the first corner she turned. She stumbled back, instinctively raising her claws before recognizing him.

"Alex. Where were you?"

"As I'm not king, I don't feel particularly obliged to attend all of these meetings," he said, before smirking the infuriating smirk that meant he was hiding something.

Sveta rolled her eyes and continued down the hallway as Alex straightened and walked behind her, one arm draping loosely across her waist. They had nearly reached the end of the corridor when a voice from behind called.

"Lord Alex!"

Alex turned slowly to see Elkin standing there, accompanied by two other beastmen who appeared to be around the same age as him.

"Yes?" he said, his tone bored. Sveta turned as well, curious and wary.

"We have something to speak with you about," Elkin said, careful to keep his tone even. "It will only be a few minutes. I'm sorry about the inconvenience, Your Majesty." The last part he directed at Sveta.

"Perhaps I should accompany you?" Sveta asked, her tone suspicious as she looked the three up and down. She didn't really have any reason not to trust them, but she knew that Alex was unpopular among her court.

"No, I'll be fine," Alex said, turning back to Sveta and brushing his fingers down her neck and across her collarbone as he bent down to kiss her. Over her head, he saw the disgruntled look the nobles exchanged and smirked. He knew they hated watching him touch their queen. "I'll be back soon. I bought you a present," he whispered, his lips barely touching her ear before he decided that he had tortured the nobles enough. He straightened and strode away from Sveta, who turned without another word and continued down the hallway.

"So, what is this all about?" he asked the nobles, who were all facing him with expressions of barely hidden contempt.

"In here," Elkin said abruptly, opening the door that led into the conference hall where Sveta had just been. It was deserted now, but the two others followed him, and Alex slipped in after them, closing the door softly behind him.

Alex leaned against one wall in his favorite position, and the others didn't sit either. Alex got the distinct impression that they didn't feel entirely comfortable around him, which was probably a fairly good choice on their part.

"And…?"

"I'll cut to the chase," Elkin said, his dark eyes locking onto Alex's bright blue ones. "There are rumors floating around the court that you intend to marry Her Majesty."

"Your point being?" Alex asked, smirking. He wondered if they expected him to deny it.

Elkin clenched his fist at his side and was, unusually, silent. Next to him, one of the other nobles spoke up, his voice calmer than Elkin's had been.

"Well, to be entirely honest, we are concerned about the welfare of the queen."

Alex raised an eyebrow and did not speak, waiting for him to continue.

"There are those who suspect that you are marrying the Queen not out of any love for her, but simply to secure the crown for yourself," the noble said smoothly.

"And you are among 'those,' am I right?" Alex asked, still smiling the same infuriating smirk.

"Yes," Elkin said, abruptly reentering the conversation and taking a step closer to Alex. "I'm being honest when I say that I don't have anything against you, Alex. But the Queen is beloved to us, and if you are only using her, I will be out for your blood."

Alex had to stop himself from giving a short chuckle. It was hard to hold himself back. Elkin reminded him so much of the black-haired noble he had murdered only the previous night. Both so prideful, so confident, so hotheaded. He wondered vaguely whether Elkin was in love with Sveta, but then many of the beastmen showed a particular defensiveness toward their kin.

"Well. What exactly did you drag me in here for? Just to deliver that, ah, eloquent warning?" Alex asked, straightening against the wall and rearranging his features into an expression of boredom.

"Just answer us this, Alex," the third man said, the one who had not yet spoken. Alex shifted his attention to him. "Do you love the queen?"

Alex considered the question before answering. "Yes," he said easily. It wasn't entirely a lie, as he was quite fond of Sveta, though his love of her was related more to their activities in the bedroom than to any merits of her own.

The noble narrowed his eyes as though not quite convinced when Elkin thrust himself once more into the conversation. His gaze had not once left Alex's face since he had first entered the room.

"Then tell me, Alex. Does she love you?"

"Of course," Alex said, not even having to consider the question. Indeed, if Sveta did not love him, he was fairly sure that he would have been exiled from Morgall with Wanted posters featuring his face and the missive "Dead or Alive" nailed up in all of the nation's major cities. He gave a slight laugh to accompany his words.

"Can you prove it to us?" Almost as soon as the words left Elkin's mouth he regretted them. It made him seem like a coward, a coward who was unwilling to ask the Queen the question. Elkin hadn't meant it like that, but he wondered immediately after he said so whether that was what he was—a coward.

Alex, on the other hand, was having quite a bit of fun with Elkin's words. His smirk grew wider. "Well, I'm not quite sure. She screams "I love you" every night, but I don't think that you would want to violate your queen's modesty by watching us."

The expressions of the other nobles shifted instantaneously. Even the second man, who had previously been the picture of calm, clenched his fists at his sides. Elkin's eyes swirled with anger as he stared at Alex. How could the man stand there, calm as anything, as he spoke this blasphemy against their queen? In that moment, Elkin's feelings toward the man shifted from dislike to pure, undiluted hatred.

After the silence dragged on for a few more, tense minutes, Alex shifted and turned to the others.

"Are we done here? Much as I have enjoyed our conversation, I do have other things I need to attend to today. Planning a wedding does take a great deal of time, or so I'm told." He smirked.

"Fine," one of the nobles finally said, though none of them moved as Alex crossed the room and disappeared behind the door. After it had closed behind the blue-haired man, Elkin spoke once more.

"That…bastard."

* * *

The afternoon had nearly ended as Sveta sat alone in her chambers. Her female attendants were in an adjoining room, while she sat on her bed, alone, one hand absentmindedly stroking the silken sheets. She stared out the window, its panes gleaming in the light of the golden sun, its curtains rustling in the wind.

She was trying to not think of anything, but she was failing. Her attendants' voices carried through the open door between the rooms. She heard the name "Alex" repeated several times.

Eventually she stood up and strode to the door, closing it with a sharp snap. Her attendants quieted for a few minutes, surprised by her sudden anger, before resuming their chattering.

Sveta walked slowly back from the door and settled herself on the seat next to the window. Her rooms overlooked the city, rather than the water, and from here she was able to see the entire expanse of Belinsk, from the opera house to the square where the musicians loved to play to the towering marble tomb that stood at the other end of the city.

Seeing the tomb reminded her, as it always did, of Volechek. He had often taken the time to watch over the water at the gleaming city, with Sveta by his side. He had been a good ruler, Sveta thought, before he had allowed himself to be corrupted by Chalis and Blados.

Sveta could not deny whatever Alex's connection was to the Tuapparang. She had met him, of course, with the others, while he was still going by the name Arcanus. She had disliked him then, but had not had as much cause to hate him as she had the two generals.

Her soldiers had reported finding him again in Belinsk barely a year later, and, interested, she had called him to the castle. He had intrigued her then, and she permitted him to stay, if guarded, in a small room down on the same floor as the servants. She had spoken with him many times on a wide variety of subjects. He was consistently intelligent, thoughtful, and seemed utterly repentant of everything he had done while cooperating with the Tuapparang.

Before she had even understood what was happening, Sveta had fallen in love. At first it seemed glorious, exactly as love should be, but all too soon things were different.

Her court detested him. Her people as a whole refused to trust him. And the closer Sveta got to the blue-haired man, the more she realized exactly how little she knew about him.

She shivered without realizing she was cold and turned to the window. It was open slightly, the curtains blowing on a cold breeze as afternoon gave way to evening. In only a few short hours, she would have to attend dinner with her full court, and likely face the probability of Alex proposing.

Sveta loved Alex, that much she knew, and she would be glad to spend every day of her remaining life with him. On the other hand, she was a queen, and her life belonged as much to the people as it did to her. She did not want to face rebellion because of a careless choice. But Sveta was not entirely sure that the problem extended beyond her court. If she married Alex, it could cement her people's trust in him, which would be a good situation for her to be in as well.

She had tried to read his mind before, just in an effort to see exactly what his true intentions were. It was impossible. He always would respond either with a solid wall, a dry comment, or, as their relationship progressed, images of the…inappropriate things he wanted to do to her. Eventually, she had stopped trying altogether. She suspected that the only time she would be able to succeed was when he was asleep, and somehow she was never able to catch him sleeping. When he slept with her, he was awake far before she was, and whenever she went to his room in the morning the same held true.

Sveta pushed the thoughts away, her mind made up, and stood to close the window. She pushed it down, watching the sunset, and closed the curtains over it to give herself the illusion of privacy, though the window that peered out from her room was so high that no one on the ground would be able to see into it in any case.

She began to cross the room when she felt a prickling on the back of her neck. Very slowly, very carefully, she turned, preparing her wind in case she was forced to defend herself.

Alex was sitting—well, lounging really—on the wide armchair that sat next to Sveta's bed. He looked completely at ease, his usual smirk covering his lips, a pile of something that looked vaguely like silk sitting in his lap.

"How long have you been there?" Sveta asked automatically, before immediately berating herself for not feeling the burst of water Psynergy as he had teleported.

"A while," Alex said vaguely, shrugging.

"You could always just teleport into the main room and then knock on the door to come in," Sveta suggested dryly.

"Your women bore me," Alex said, his tone completely deadpan. "All they do is giggle and whisper among themselves. Can't we fire them and buy some mute slaves instead?"

"I hope you're joking," Sveta said, not entirely sure that he was, though if she was honest to herself she agreed with his perception of her attendants. "And what if I was changing?"

"So much the better," Alex said, a bit of a laugh lining his tone now.

Sveta rolled her eyes and didn't bother giving him an answer. She turned away and observed herself in the mirror. "I have to start getting ready for dinner, anyway."

"I'd be more than happy to help," Alex said, standing and holding the pile of silk up. It hung neatly from his hand and became identifiable as a dress. "Would you wear this? I had it specially made for you, and for tonight."

Sveta eyed the dress. It was in a rather lovely shade of violet which she supposed would compliment her hair.

"I'll try it on. But no promises."

Alex handed it over and returned to his previous position, his cold blue eyes not once leaving her face as she turned away from him to enter her washroom.

* * *

The air was tense with excitement. The crowd of beastmen in front of the palace murmured among themselves. Many wore masks, and all were dressed more nicely than their usual daily attire. Evening had fallen, but the streets were lit by paper lanterns, formed in the shapes of every animal imaginable. Even though they could not all fit in the palace, the banquet extended to every beastman in Belinsk. The summer solstice was a great celebration for them, and the Czamaral family always provided a feast.

This year, of course, the festivities came with the added excitement because of the rumors circulating. Depending on whom one talked to, Alex was either a Lemurian or a poor country boy from Kaocho. Few people had any form of the truth…but then, even Sveta did not have that.

Inside the palace, the nobles had gathered in the large banquet hall, dressed in various beautiful pieces of clothing. Some were dancing, some talking, some eating, but all of them were waiting for Sveta.

And then the doors at the top of the staircase were thrown open, and a crier at the top shouted loudly enough to drown all the other voices. "Her Majesty, Sveta of the Czamaral Clan, ruler of Morgal!"

The nobles all applauded politely, but the people outside who had heard the cry began to cheer much more loudly as Sveta herself emerged onto the balcony. She had ended up wearing the dress after all, and it was a lovely thing—soft purple, with rosettes and pale lace along the sleeves and a bit of a train, as well as the slit up one leg. Her hair was down, and she wore her usual simple circlet crown.

Sveta smiled at the applause, slightly uncomfortable. She had somewhat gotten used to all of the formalities of being queen, but still longed for the days when she could simply mingle with her people as she wished, without manners and rituals being necessary. Of course, there was good reason for the protocol, but even so…

Alex had disappeared somewhere again, but Sveta was choosing not to think about that. She was determined to enjoy herself with her people.

She descended the stairs and the banquet resumed in earnest. From across the dance floor, Belinsk's famous musicians began to strike up a dancing tune, and couples flocked out to dance with each other. Sveta, not having a partner, began to make her way over to the windows, stopped every few feet by members of her court—"Good evening, Your Majesty," "Your dress is beautiful," "And where is Alex?"—the last statement being by far the most common. Eventually she reached the far side of the room, her smile becoming more and more forced as she had to answer.

"You look glorious," said a soft voice behind her. She turned, her instincts taking over even though she had a fairly good guess who was there. Sure enough, Alex was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed cockily over his chest, his usual smirk in place. He was wearing an elaborate robe of blue and gold over black pants.

"Thank you," she said curtly. "Where were you earlier?"

"I didn't want to deal with the staring," he said, shrugging. "Unless you haven't realized, they all hate me…"

"You don't know that. You aren't the one who can read minds," Sveta said, giving him a reproachful look. He smirked.

"I don't really have to, do I? It's written all over their faces."

"I think that your eternal preoccupation with yourself makes you think everyone is thinking about you," Sveta said, "but the world doesn't revolve around you, you know."

"So harsh," Alex said with a melodramatic sigh. "In any case, shall we dance?"

Sveta smiled. "Why not?"

He carefully lifted one of her hands and in an instant they were whirling in circles together on the dance floor amidst the other couples. Sveta wasn't entirely sure whether there really were whispers or it was just her imagination, but she wasn't about to read minds to check. She didn't think she was that paranoid.

The night wore on, and the festivities only became louder as more beastmen consumed alcohol. Sveta herself had had only a glass, but the mood of the people around her was enough to keep her awake. Even inside the grand ballroom, they could hear the songs of the people outside, gathered on the far side of the bridge that led to the palace. She and Alex danced to many songs, in between which he would disappear before returning and sweeping her out onto the floor again.

After a rather long absence, however, Sveta began to feel slightly suspicious. She didn't realize what the time was until a large clock tolled the midnight hour, and a young member of her court came toward her, his face earnest. "Your Majesty, it's time for your address of the people."

"Yes, of course," she said, following him and several others up the stairs. They were heading for the large balcony that overlooked Belinsk, from which one could see the entire city. On a night like this, with everything illuminated by the lanterns, it would be a truly fantastic sight.

The upper floors were becoming more crowded, as nobles moved up from the ballroom; they wished to see the queen's address as well. The crowd parted easily for her until Sveta was next to the doors; Then they were thrown open, and she was out in the night air. The lights of the city were reflected in the waters all around, so brightly that she could make out individual faces in the crowd. They all cheered for her, their faces lit with an unearthly glow.

"My people, we celebrate the solsti—"

Sveta was interrupted by a sudden murmuring in the crowd. It was obvious what had distracted them; the water surrounding the palace had suddenly erupted in beautiful geysers, fountains that flowed up and splashed back down onto the water surrounding them. It was a magical sight. Slowly, as they continued to bubble up and down, a mist began to grow steadily in the air, thicker and thicker, until all Sveta could see were the lights, bobbing somewhere below.

The voice rang out clearly through the mist, loud enough for all the beastmen gathered to hear. "Sveta, Queen of Morgal, heiress of the Czamaral clan, and my dearest love, will you marry me?"

The silence was so complete that the only sound was the continuous bubbling of the water, invisible though the fountains were through the mist.

Sveta wasn't quite sure, afterwards, what she was thinking in that moment. Perhaps it was her single glass of wine, or the magical aura that hovered in the air around her, or simply her assurance that nothing else mattered in right then. Few thoughts ran through her head as she opened her lips dreamily.

"Yes, I will…"

Suddenly he was there, appearing through the mist, arms wrapping around her waist and bending her back as their lips met. The mist cleared as quickly as it had come, and down below the cheers of the people were deafening. Sveta supposed that Alex had probably planned that.

He released her and brought a ring, inlaid with silver and amethyst, out of his pocket, sliding it onto one of her claw-like hands. She looked up at him, intending to say something, but before she could the doors to the balcony burst open. General Vrand stood there, his eyes blazing.

"Your Majesty. Ayuthay is invading Kaocho. None of our messengers have returned. What do you wish?"

Sveta hesitated, shocked as she was. Amiti…invading? Almost unconsciously she turned to Alex, whose cold blue eyes were fixed on Vrand.

"…I would fight back," he said silkily. "We can't allow them to continue unchecked. Amiti knows how to cross the border, after all, and could likely garner the aid of Passaj."

"I can't fight Amiti," Sveta said, shaking her head.

"You must. I know you knew him, but people change, Sveta…"

Sveta looked up, her eyes confused and dark. "But…I don't…"

"Your Majesty, we can push them back without many casualties," Vrand said, stepping forward. "We would be in a favorable negotiating position. We could force Amiti to speak with us and discover his true intentions."

"…I suppose," Sveta said, blinking once. "Yes. Fine. But as few casualties as possible. I don't want to provoke a war."

Vrand bowed and exited the balcony. For a few seconds, there was silence, before the muttering started, escalating into panicked shouts and discussion. Everyone was discussing what they had just heard.

Sveta stood stock-still, until strong arms encircled her waist.

"You must be exhausted," Alex said. "With news like that…It's late. We should go to bed."

"No, I must address the people," Sveta said weakly, attempting to turn but stopped by Alex.

"They will understand, Sveta," he said. "Come now. We should celebrate, shouldn't we…?"

Sveta, drained, allowed herself to be led back into the palace, the crowd clearing for her. The halls grew steadily emptier as they approached her room, but Alex overheard a voice from around the corner.

"King Amiti used to have such good relations. They've deteriorated significantly."

"Indeed," a second beastman said. "It is a truly strange thing that he would not respond to our messengers."

They were out of earshot too soon, and unseen by Sveta, a smirk grew across Alex's face.

It was, indeed, highly unusual that Amiti did not return the messengers. In fact, however, Amiti had never received messengers.

Alex had made sure of that.

* * *

Word spread quickly, from village to village, until it reached the inn of a town where a certain traveler happened to be staying. He had brown eyes to match his long brown hair, held back in a ponytail, and his face had something closed off, forbidden, about it. He had been making his way steadily to Morgal since the eclipse, and had laid low since.

Until this. Disturbing whispers of rising tension with Ayuthay, of the fall of Kaocho. Then the more worrisome news.

At first, Felix had refused to believe it. Alex? Alive, that was enough in and of itself, but engaged to the queen of Morgal?

Yes, he had more looking into that matter to do.

He had no idea what Alex was doing, if this was in fact him. But then, Alex was always a slippery one.

Felix had packed his gear and had just barely exited the town when something on the path caught his eye. Half-buried by mud and dead leaves was a paper with dark handwriting scrawled upon it. He dug it up, brushed the sod off of it, and read the words.

_Brother, how did it come to this?_

* * *

**A/N: YES IT'S FINALLY DONE. **

**Sorry. I've had this idea for so long it just makes me happy to see it done! Ish...there's a pretty small chance that I may continue it, but it's doubtful as I have so many other fics I should be working on...  
Yes, this is my Golden Sun OTP (what)! I hope you like/enjoy! Please review! I worked hard on it. Also, Sveta may be a small bit OOC, for which I apologize. It ended with Felix because...Felix. Meh.  
I love my readers! :D**


	2. Help Without the Victim

The cliffs overlooking the village of Yamata were made of golden-colored stone that was rich with life. Small trees and vines seemed to grow out of the rock itself, even on the sheer cliffs that were difficult to navigate even for an Adept.

Himi, Princess of Yamata, liked them especially for the last fact. She climbed the mountains nearly every day, to strengthen both her muscle and her control over Earth Psynergy. The time it took her grew shorter each day.

The climbing alone was not entirely what attracted her to the mountains. Once at the peak, she would train there, under a cloudless sky and overlooking a vast blue sea in which only a few islands could be seen. The mainland was far past the horizon. There, on the plateau, she would test her endurance, summon Psynergy until she was absolutely drained, and practice her command of Djinn. In the years that had passed since the Grave Eclipse, she had grown considerably. She was now a tall teenager with bright magenta eyes and a slender but strong frame. Her hair she still wore in her childlike ponytails on either side of her head. Many who knew her said she greatly resembled her aunt, Uzume.

It was on a summer day when the cliffs were unusually windy that Himi sat, early in the day, extending her inner vision outwards. Because of this, she sensed, rather than saw, the Mercury djinni that had followed her up the plateau.

Her eyes snapped open and she turned quickly to face the small creature. It was definitely familiar, but she was unable to decide which Djinni it was before it spoke.

"Hello, Princess…"

That cold, raspy voice, devoid of all emotion, could only belong to Serac, one of Amiti's favored Djinn. Himi could remember many times when the Djinni had drained the soul of a monster in combat.

"Serac," she said briskly, nodding. "Why has Amiti sent you?"

"My master wishes for the council of his friends, but cannot reach the lords Matthew, Rief, and Tyrell, or the lady Karis. Whether they are travelling or simply beyond his range of contact, we do not know."

"What does he need council for?" Himi asked. "And why not Sveta?"

"The council concerns the actions of Lady Sveta," the Djinni said in its low rasp of a voice. "Or rather the actions of the country of Morgal. I will say no more. My master can tell you what remains if you decide to come."

The Djinni, apparently not waiting for an answer, dissolved into a sphere of blue light, which sped away across the top of the plateau and disappeared into the clear blue of the sky. Himi stared after it, her smile fading and a small crease forming between her eyebrows, before she turned back to the face of the cliff. She would have to go home early today.

* * *

The young beastman Norkevek was a slim, handsome fellow with dark hair he kept braided down his shoulders. His long pointed ears both had rings in them, and his sharp white teeth gleamed whenever he smiled, which was often.

…Had been often, that was. These days, with most of his money and repute gone, he had little cause to laugh.

Norkevek had, during the time of Volechek, made a name for himself during the uprising against Sana. He had fought bravely alongside the king, and after the war he had been one of the most prized members of the court. He had watched Sveta grow up, and for a time he had loved the siblings as though they were his own brother and sister.

Then the king had turned to the Tuapparang and grown farther and farther away from Norkevek. The settled life had not suited the lord either—he had attempted to start a merchant caravan, only to have his men killed and his goods stolen in a Bilibin raid. Furious, Norkevek had gathered his loyal men and struck back, burning several villages in Bilibin. Lord McCoy had responded to the outcry of his people and sent an imperial order to Volechek—hand over the perpetrator, or face war. Volechek had managed to soothe the tension, with the help of the Tuapparang, but the king had never forgiven Norkevek, and, broke and defeated, the noble had left court and disappeared into a modest home on the back streets of Belinsk.

He had aged much in the past few years, and though his face was still handsome, it was much more wrinkled, his hair turning silver in places.

A few years ago, Norkevek would have curled his lip at the sight of the dimly lit, sagging pub. Now, however, he had frequented enough to not be bothered by the thick scent of smoke and alcohol, or the coarse talk that filled the air. He had his share of scars from bar fights.

He scanned the heads, looking for his companions, before he spotted them on the far side of the bar, by the low-burning fireplace. Norkevek crossed the room, seating himself at the cramped round table. His tablemates were a gaunt beastman with silvery hair and embroidered robes, a female with a jagged smile and spotted fur, and a blonde-haired beastman with a pair of curling horns half-hidden under the hood of a robe.

"You're late, Norkevek," the horned beastman growled, looking around with pale yellow eyes. "Been waiting all night."

"My apologies, Torren," Norkevek apologized as a server placed a cup in front of him. "I was delayed." He turned to the others to greet them. "Oretal," he nodded to the silver-haired man, "and I'm afraid I don't know you…"

Torren put his own drink down. "She's Silverstorm."

"Not your real name, is it?" Norkevek asked casually.

"Can't blame me in my line of work, can you?" the woman asked. She had a cold, fluid voice and drew her lips back when she spoke, showing every one of her shining white teeth. "Lord Norkevek."

Norkevek nodded again before leaning back and looking to Oretal. "Tell me your news."

Oretal swallowed. "Our army marches to defend Kaocho. We'll clash with Ayuthay in a few days at this pace. No word from King Amiti."

"And from inside the palace?" Norkevek asked.

"More difficult to get close to Her Majesty than ever. She does go places alone, but whenever someone approaches her, Alex always seems to show up. I don't know how large of a threat he is, but to get to her we'll have to get through him…" Oretal took a quick gulp of his mug, spilling a brownish liquid onto his elaborate robes and looking down in dismay.

"I'd rather not have to kill the Queen," Norkevek said, staring at the table. "I do remember her when she was a child, a beautiful girl…but I've promised her to Torren."

The two-horned beastman gave a vicious smile from under his hood.

"Full rebellion? And here I thought you just wanted some money from the royal treasury," Silverstorm said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms lightly across her chest.

"Yes. True. That comes first," Norkevek said, for the first time a frown crossing his visage. "I will ask, but I'd prefer to eliminate Alex first. We still know little enough about him…"

"Easily taken care of," Silverstorm said breezily, standing. "Half now, half after you find his corpse. Come on, pay up."

Norkevek drew a large pouch of golden coins from inside his coat, not without misgivings. Silverstorm took the bag and saluted.

"Good night, gentlemen. I'll see you again when he's dead."

The three remaining men sipped their drinks in silence for a minute, until Oretal drained his cup and stood in a hurry.

"I need to return to court before my absence is noted," he said, smiling shakily. "I trust I'll see you two again before long."

"Happy spying," Norkevek said, before turning to Torren. "And what about you?"

"The night is young and so am I," Torren rasped. "You go home. You could never hold your alcohol."

"I've never had to," Norkevek said. He smiled and stood. "I suppose I'll see you soon then, Torren. Good hunting."

"Thanks," Torren said, turning back to his drink and not bothering to watch the nobleman leave. He took a long sip before wiping his mouth and smiling down at the table, tracing a gouge into the wood with one long claw.

* * *

The ship that pulled into the harbor near Yamata was almost unrecognizable from when Himi had last seen it. Instead of the old, dilapidated wreck it had once been, it was sleek, shining, repainted and repaired until it gleamed. The wood was smooth instead of patchy, and the sails carried no rips in them.

Himi waited on the sand with her parents and several of the villagers, who watched as the ship lowered anchor, dropping a smaller boat in which three men were rowing to shore. Even from a distance, Himi recognized the middle sailor due to his bright red hair.

"Himi, I know that you must go," Kushinada said, turning to embrace her daughter and pulling away. "But even so, be careful. Games of politics are dangerous."

"I will be fine, Mother," Himi said confidently. "I have my Djinn after all, and my friends to stand by my side. That is really all I need."

"Send us a Djinni if you are there a long time," said Susa gruffly. "Tell us that you are still living."

"I will, Father."

The small boat pulled up onto the shore, rasping as it pushed up onto the sand. It rocked in its place as out climbed Eoleo, looking as scruffy as ever. He walked over to where Himi was standing and gave an awkward nod to both of her parents in turn.

"Lord Susa….Lady Kushinada."

"Though you may be a pirate, you are a good man," Susa said, meeting Eoleo's gaze squarely. "I trust you with my daughter's life."

Eoleo's cheeks might have gotten a shade darker, but it was difficult for anyone to say for sure. "Himi, you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am," Himi said, turning to give her mother one last hug before picking up the satchel containing her supplies and climbing with Eoleo into the boat. The two other men pushed it off the shore and turned it around, steadily rowing back toward Eoleo's ship.

Himi looked back at her parents as long as she could, until the side of the ship blocked them from view. The small boat was hauled up, the four of them along with it. The anchor was pulled up and the sails slowly filled with wind, pushing the ship steadily to the southwest and Ayuthay.

The days aboard the ship reminded Himi distinctly of her last journey, different only in that the sky was not darkened by an eclipse. Instead, the days were warm and sunny, and they saw no storms in the time it took them to make the journey.

She would help out aboard the ship, joining Eoleo in battling any monsters that came aboard and trying to help the sailors. Though she wasn't quite muscular enough to help out physically, her Psynergy made her as competent as any of them. Before the voyage was over, she knew all of Eoleo's sailors by name, and they knew her just as well.

Eoleo was noncommittal about what he had been doing over the last four years, simply shrugging and answering "piracy" when she asked.

"And no more trouble?" she asked him, one day when they were sailing close along the coast of Angara.

"Not anything," he shrugged. "No Tuapparang. No more of the shadow monsters we fought durin' the Eclipse. I haven't even seen many other Psynergy users."

"I wonder what Amiti could want?" Himi said, half to herself.

"Leave me out of it," Eoleo said fervently, putting his hands up. "The Ayuthay don't want nothin' to do with me, and I'd rather keep it that way."

* * *

The settlements were gradually getting larger and larger as Felix's travels brought him closer and closer toward the capital of Morgal. The traveling was also getting slower, as roads were much busier in the main parts of the country. Traffic was doubled by the beastmen's celebration of the summer solstice, which had people traveling to visit their families, their capital, people simply out in the street celebrating…

It grew so irritating to dodge questions and festivities that eventually he stopped in a relatively small town southwest of Belinsk. The festival was in full swing there, and the inn was packed, but he was able to procure his own room with a bribe. He wondered whether it wouldn't be simpler to sleep in the wild; the only thing that stopped him was the lack of cover. The landscape was flat, plains, and though Felix wasn't paranoid the thought of being so exposed while asleep gave him pause. After all, there were still those who might recognize him and want him dead.

The inn was also useful as a place to gather news. Ever since the events of three years previous, when he had seen the Grave Eclipse all the way from Contigo, he had resolved to travel back to the source. Waylaid by various difficulties—a monster plaguing a village here, a long-lost artifact there—and it had taken him far longer than anticipated. Now he was there, in a country that by all accounts had been devastated both by the deadly Eclipse and then by the death of their king. In the years following, however, an unrecognizable Morgal had risen from the ashes. Sveta, the old king's younger sister, had taken over the rule and begun an invasion of Kaocho, which had succeeded only weeks ago.

The beastmen, usually a quiet people, were far more willing to give information when intoxicated with alcohol and the festivities. Felix felt slightly uncomfortable taking advantage of that, but he needed information, and so two days after the solstice, the celebration still in full-swing, he sat in the tavern of his inn and listened.

The snatches of conversation were typically useless, gossip about the village leader's wife or the theft of a farm implement. He had been eavesdropping for nearly an hour and was ready to give up when he caught the first interesting bit of news. The beastman who was speaking was short, with long fangs and rounded ears, patches of fur and spots covering his face.

"Just came back from combat in the south, I did. Got this nasty there—" He shifted to indicate a long scar along his side to his drinking companions. "The Kaocho brutes were good fighters, but nothin' near us; we destroyed 'em in weeks. 'Course, the Ayuthay might be different. I'm headin' back as soon as the festival's done."

"Pardon," Felix said, leaning over to the table; the beastmen looked around at him over their mugs. "Did I hear you say that Morgal has gone to war with Ayuthay?"

The beastman turned his chair to face Felix, happy to have an enthusiastic audience. "The troops're movin' to the north, didn't you know? Ayuthay invaded Kaocho, which is our land now, and so the Queen and her favored general decided to push back. There'll be fightin' within the week."

Felix leaned back in his chair, worry growing within him. Tensions between the two countries were one thing, but if two of Angara's greatest powers went to war, the continent would be ripped apart. Both Sveta, Queen of Morgal, and Amiti, King of Ayuthay had traveled together to prevent the Grave Eclipse, he had been told. What could have happened between two companions that now their countries were at war? He tried to imagine going to war with Piers, or Isaac, and could not comprehend it. But then, the answer was there, wasn't it? The one variable that could cause a queen to turn against her friend and her friend's country—a man Felix knew. What Alex stood to gain from conquering Ayuthay, Felix had no idea, but if the man had put his mind to it he would be a deadly foe indeed. The attack had been launched. No matter how disciplined the Ayuthayan soldiers were, Felix had doubts about whether they could stand against beastmen warriors. The war would likely be swift and deadly, and Alex would no doubt find some way to put Amiti out of his way.

Felix felt as though ice was suddenly running in his veins. He pushed his chair back numbly and stood. The beastmen drinking at the table neighboring his looked up at him. "You all right?" He didn't answer. He was already pushing through the tavern, knocking chairs aside and bumping into several other patrons. He reached the door and pushed through it, out into the mild night air.

The festivities were still going strong outside. Paper lanterns were strung between buildings, throwing squares of colored light onto the ground. A drum was beating distantly and beastmen were dancing. The moon shone silver and full overhead, lending the scene an eerie and unnatural quality. Felix couldn't think with the drum beating in his head, and so he ran the other way, out of the village, south along roads he had already traveled in an attempt to reach Belinsk.

Going to King Amiti was the more sensible thing to do. Even if he was able to reach Belinsk unnoticed by Alex, getting near the Queen would be nigh impossible. He would have to tell Amiti about Alex and pray the King chose to believe him.

He summoned Echo and paused for an instant before sending the djinni racing off to the northwest. As much as it hurt his pride to admit he might need Isaac's help, he knew that what was at stake was far more important than his pride.

* * *

The pirate ship had been sailing along the coast of Angara for three days when the man high up in the crow's nest called down. "Ayuthay! Land ho!"

They had passed Champa earlier as well, and Eoleo had proudly recounted to Himi how his people had moved back into their original village, repairing the damage and welcoming Obaba back into their midst. They truly had recovered greatly from the events of the Eclipse.

Soon after the call from the watchman, the ship drew close enough to the shore that it was dangerous to proceed any farther. A smaller boat was lowered, and Eoleo accompanied Himi down across the water, rowing until they bumped up on the shore. The pirate looked at her, not moving from his place behind the oars.

"You'll be okay goin' on to Ayuthay by yourself, then?"

"By myself?"

"Don't do that! I told you two days ago, I'm not goin' there! Amiti doesn't like me and what with him bein' King now, I don't want to risk it."

"He's not going to kill you," Himi laughed. "You're just afraid! Come on. Amiti will give you a wondrous welcome. After all, you fought alongside us during the dark days of the Eclipse!"

"It's better I stay behind," Eoleo said stubbornly.

"If you say so," Himi said after a short pause. "Of course, you probably don't have any interest in why he called us, do you? No worries about Sveta? No, you can get information your own ways."

"Yeah, that's right," Eoleo said, giving a small nod. "Now get goin'. I don't want you travelin' at nightfall."

"Goodbye," Himi called over her shoulder as she began to walk up the sand. "I'll contact you if I need a ship back home."

She counted her footsteps in her head as she continued across the sand, waiting. One…two…five…seventeen…

"All right, all right, I'm comin'!" Eoleo yelled after her, jumping from the smaller boat and chasing her up the sand. "Straight manipulation, that was. You knew I couldn't just let you waltz off by yourself, after your father had to go and say all that stuff to me." He sighed.

Himi smiled as she turned to face him. "What about your crew?"

"Aw, I'll send 'em a message by Djinni. Most of 'em probably suspected I'd go on anyway. Don't know if I'm just that predictable or what…probably regret it. Dammed Ayuthay."

He went on muttering as the two continued to walk together under the hot sun.

* * *

The festivities from the celebration of the summer solstice were slowly dying down, though Belinsk was always a busy city. With the looming war in the south, every day more mercenaries came through the city, looking to sell their services to the army. All of the beastmen were sure it would be a swift victory; how could the Ayuthay, few of whom possessed any extraordinary power, hope to defeat an army of beasts?

No one suspected any evil at midday, and so the guards of the castle were far less alert than they should perhaps have been, instead trying to keep cool in the vicious summer heat. The guards posted on the wall were looking out into the city, though even if they had thought to look down at the water, the reflection of the sun would have made it difficult to see anything.

A dark shape crossed the water of the bay, swimming swiftly to the far side of the castle, where no one in the city would be able to see him. The beastman rose from the water, dripping and soaked, and hooked his claws into the stone wall in front of him, pulling himself up bit by bit. It was hot work, so that the sun had mostly dried him by the time he reached an open window. He pulled himself up far enough to peer inside the palace, and when he saw the room beyond to be empty he hooked a claw over the ledge and hoisted himself into the room.

It was a small room intended for storage, he saw, but the racks along the walls were bare. He supposed they had been intended to hold weapons, and the army had cleared it out when they left for Ayuthay. He straightened and rung the remaining water out of his clothes, before looking around the room once more.

The door opened the tiniest possible crack into a hallway into a larger room—an eating hall of sorts. The beastman cursed under his breath; it looked as though he had entered the guards' quarters, one of the worst possible places to have chosen. The room was busy with the palace guards eating their lunches, swapping stories and laughing loudly. For an instant he stood posed there, before disappearing behind the door again.

It was lucky the room had a window, allowing him to watch the sun setting lower and lower in the sky. The afternoon seemed to crawl by, but at long last he opened the door and found the room beyond empty. He crossed it quickly and silently, slipping out of the barracks and into the halls beyond, silent as a ghost and unobtrusive as a shadow.

The palace was less busy in the evening, with many of the nobles at dinner or settling into their rooms. He found it easy to navigate and found the queen's room with little difficulty, before settling in one of the windows' alcoves, hidden behind billowing curtains.

Another hour at least had passed before he first caught sight of the queen, entering her rooms briefly and then leaving again, and then a long span of time before the target appeared.

Blue-haired, blue-eyed, with a thin smirk on his lips and a mask covering part of his face-he appeared exactly as Silverstorm had described. The beastman stiffened in his hiding spot, but the queen was with Alex, and he wanted to catch the man alone. The two disappeared back into the queen's rooms together and did not leave.

The passing servants and guards became fewer and fewer before disappearing altogether as the moon crept higher and higher into the sky. The beastman found himself becoming sleepier, and finally gave up his watch and found a suitable room nearby, filled with supplies and dust. He settled himself in a corner and woke before the sun set.

When he returned to the queen's door, however, to continue his vigil, he found Sveta leaving alone. He cursed mentally. Of course; Alex had his own rooms, and probably returned to them during the night. He wanted to hit himself for being so lax, but made content with returning to his makeshift bedroom and waiting.

_Tonight…tonight…_

* * *

Ayuthay had flourished in the intervening years, Himi was pleased to see. Even though the peninsula where they had landed was far south of the capital, the land was still busy. Roads cut through the hills and farms had sprung up beside the river, small villages dotting the countryside. Their journey was quick and pleasant, the weather warm.

They reached Ayuthay in the evening. The city looked as beautiful as ever, though now there were many buildings outside of the fortress. Barai Pond shone with the setting sun.

As they walked through the capital, many people recognized them, some of the youngest ones pointing and gesturing toward them before their parents stopped them. A bridge had been built to cross the water, though guards stood at one end of it.

"Lady Himi! Lord Eoleo," one of them said, bowing and moving aside. "King Amiti has been waiting for you, my lady, and expresses his deep gratitude that you could come."

"It is no problem," Himi said, raising a hand to acknowledge him before passing down the bridge. Eoleo stood awkwardly for a moment before giving the guard a nod and following Himi.

"'King Amiti has been waiting for you, my lady,'" he repeated under his breath. "I told you I wasn't welcome."

"Perhaps Amiti simply did not expect that you would come," Himi said, observing the bridge they were walking on. Although it was stone, intricate mosaics had been laid down into the rock. There was a depiction of a temple, and ruins, and a panel showing a sailing ship…a very familiar ship.

"Eoleo, look at these tiles," Himi said, staring down in awe. "They're pictures of us—of our journey. Look, there's Matthew, and there's me—oh, and look! There you are on the ship!" She gave him a sidelong glance. "Obviously he does not hate you enough to remove you from the story."

Eoleo grunted and didn't respond, though he was surveying the stone pictures with interest as well.

Himi stepped over the last tile on the far side of the bridge—a depiction of all of the companions standing in the center of a restored Belinsk—and looked up at the fortress of Ayuthay. It was almost identical to the one of her memories, though she had only seen it once, drenched in shadow and the stench of death, its king lying sick and dying. The only difference she could see now was how many people there were. Rather than hiding inside, they were out on the balconies and walkways, looking at the city and talking amongst themselves.

At the steps of the palace was another pair of guards, who both bowed and gestured with their spears to allow Himi and Eoleo entrance. The girl led the way up the stairs and to the doors beyond. They opened onto a long and handsome hallway, which was empty except for the man pacing back and forth, his robes trailing on the ground. He turned to face them. For an instant Himi did not recognize him. He looked older, far older than the few short years that had passed should have made him. Wrinkles lined his face, and his chin and the sides of his face were both covered with a thin beard. Amiti looked far less than the effeminate boy who had traveled with them, and far more like the king of Ayuthay.

"I am so glad that you have come," Amiti said, looking from one of them to the other, before striding forward to hug Himi. "Thank you, Himi."

He drew back and then looked at Eoleo, hesitating a moment before shaking his hand. Himi could not be certain, but she thought she saw a glimmer of tears in his eyes.

Amiti turned away from them and strode back toward a door set in the back of the hallway. "Come. We will go to the courtyard and I will tell you of my…problems."

* * *

Morning in Ayuthay dawned bright and clear, with sunlight shining into Himi's room. From the window, she could make out the faint blue outline of the mountains, far in the distance, framed against a cloudy sky. The air was colder than usual, and she stayed in bed for a few moments.

She was pulling on her silk gown when a servant girl knocked on the door and entered. "His Majesty would like to inform you that breakfast is in the courtyard today, whenever you're ready." She backed out. Himi turned to the mirror to tie up her hair and then looked out the window, staring at the far-distant mountains. Sveta was past those mountains, a queen now, a queen betrothed to their enemy. How could it have happened? When Amiti had told them what had transpired, she had been unable to believe it. Eoleo had stood still, muttering a few choice words and looking as though he wanted to throw a fireball. Himi's jaw had dropped. She had been utterly unable to comprehend it, and still the idea seemed like a faraway threat, something that was there but not quite real, like something in a dream.

Or something in a nightmare.

The table in the courtyard was small, made to only sit a few people. Amiti and Eoleo were already there, eating fish and fruit. Eoleo looked uncomfortable in his light, flowing clothes; he had not thought to bring his own clothing and had been forced to wear Ayuthay garb during the visit. He did look out of place in the golden ornaments and colorful silk, but perhaps that was only because Himi had known him too long.

"Himi," Amiti greeted as she seated herself. "Good morning. I trust you slept well?"

"I did," Himi said. A servant leaned down to fill her plate and cup. "And you?"

"I was up half the night in war council, I'm afraid," Amiti said, smiling weakly. "Nothing major, just verifying the supply routes and where we'll try to break the Morgal lines. The armies will meet tomorrow."

"Still no word from Sveta?" Eoleo asked.

"None."

"Amiti," Himi said suddenly, peering into his face. It had been bothering her ever since she had seen him that morning. "You look…You look younger."

Amiti's face, usually so calm, was suddenly distraught, and he lifted his hands to cover it. Himi, alarmed, sprang up, but when he looked up his face was quite devoid of emotion.

"I know," he said hollowly.

"I see it too," Eoleo said. "The wrinkles you had yesterday…they're gone?"

Both Himi and Eoleo stared, speechless, as the king took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say.

"I age with the day," he said finally. "Not to extremes. My face forms wrinkles as the day goes on—and the healers here all tell me these wrinkles are normal—and they disappear in the morning. I look as I did years ago again, except for…well…" He gestured at the beard.

"But…that's…." Himi shook her head slowly. "I would say impossible if I had not seen it with my own eyes."

"Not like it's really bad, though. Just a kind of immortality, isn't it?" Eoleo asked.

Amiti's face was abruptly masklike. "Do you know why I grew this beard? Do you? Without it, I look!—" He stopped abruptly and took a deep breath. "No. Never mind. I am sorry I lost my temper."

"Tell us," Himi urged, but Amiti mutely shook his head.

"Your Majesty! Lady Himi! Lord Eoleo!" One of the palace guards crossed the courtyard, bowing briefly to Amiti and breaking the tension. "There is a visitor for the king."

"Can they not wait until the afternoon, when I hold audience?" Amiti asked.

"He says it's urgent, and besides, he calls himself—Oh, you had probably best hear it from him." Amiti shrugged and stood, and Eoleo and Himi exchanged a puzzled glance before standing themselves.

The man waiting for them in the first room of the palace was tall, with brown hair tied back into a ponytail and dark eyes. His cloak was mud-stained and travel-worn, and the sword slung at his hip looked as ancient as the Jenei.

He looked up as the three entered the room. His eyes focused in on Amiti, and Himi thought she saw them widen for a split second. If indeed they had, however, the emotion was gone as soon as it had come. He inclined his head to the king.

"King Amiti, I presume?" He turned to the other two. "I do not know you, and yet you both look familiar."

"This is Eoleo," Amiti began, but the man cut him off.

"Not…surely…but I see Briggs in your face, yes, and Chaucha too," he murmured. "I remember you, though you were a child when we last met."

"You knew my parents?" Eoleo said. "Sorry, but I can't remember you."

"And this is Himi, daughter of Susa and Kushinada of the isle Yamata," Amiti cut in loudly. The man turned to her in turn.

"Yes, I see them in you," he said softly. "Though we have never met, and it has been decades since I saw your parents."

"Who are—?" Eoleo began, but Himi cut him off.

"You're Felix, aren't you? My parents told me stories often of how you saved my mother's life," Himi said, giving him a slight bow. "I thank you for that, as I thank you for saving Weyard."

"Felix of the Warriors of Vale? You put my father in jail! I remember now!" Eoleo burst out, pointing an accusing finger.

Felix shrugged. "He was a pirate. I also didn't put him back in jail, you might recall…" His face sobered. "But that isn't what's important right now."

"Why have you come to Ayuthay?" asked Amiti.

"I was traveling Morgal when I heard the news that you are at war with them. That in itself was startling enough, but with the queen engaged to Alex…"

"You know about Arcanu—Alex?" Eoleo said after a pause; Amiti's face had grown suddenly still at the mention of their old enemy.

Felix sighed. "I'm sure Kraden told you story—Alex wanted to light the lighthouses and gain the Golden Sun for himself. He tricked us all, but no one knows what happened on Mount Aleph. We all assumed him dead, but here he is again. Now, I assume you've tried to contact Sveta?"

Amiti nodded. "With Djinn as well as messengers, but the humans never returned and the Djinn returned wounded, with no memory of what had transpired."

"I see," Felix said slowly, his eyes narrowing. "He would be more than capable…but even so…" He looked up, meeting all of their gazes. "We need to contact the queen, and as soon as possible. This war is Alex's doing, I'd bet anything. I'll go, but I don't know her."

Amiti was nodding along as Felix spoke. "I cannot leave my people, but this makes far more sense."

Himi stepped forward. "I will go. I will travel alongside Felix and speak to Sveta. I will make her see sense."

"I'll stay here with you, er, if you don't mind," Eoleo said to the king. "I know some things about fightin', been doin' it all my life."

Amiti nodded. "Now, you two, be careful. If Alex did indeed kill the messengers, you are probably in great danger as well. I will not lose two more friends."

"We will be careful," Himi said. "Do not forget, we both wield Psynergy."

"As does Alex," murmured Felix, and if the others heard him they gave no indication.

* * *

The night was colder than many and stormy. Pale clouds shifted across the sky, occasionally showing patches of stars. Far in the distance, lightning flashed again and again, accompanied by faint rumblings.

As a particularly fierce gust of wind blew into the chamber, the moon was suddenly revealed, pouring silvery light down onto Belinsk.

Sveta awoke suddenly as the silk curtains around her bed danced in the wind. She was cold, she realized, and very much alone; Alex was not lying beside her.

There were no lights in the city across the water, just the wind and the moon. It was late, far past midnight, at the deepest time of the night where the darkness seemed more menacing than ever before.

Sveta was wide awake almost at once and knew she would be unable to return to sleep. Instead she climbed out of the bed, sliding a robe onto her shoulders. She left the bedroom, feeling restless. Her other rooms were empty, but all the windows stood open, their curtains flowing in the breeze. The chairs, tables, lamps all looked eerie, stripped of their colors and reduced to darkness and silver in the night.

She stole out of the room, half-wishing she had brought a thicker robe than her silk one, but at the same time reluctant to go back to her chambers for another.

Sveta continued down the hallways of the palace, seeing no one, no destination fixed in her mind. She realized, vaguely, that she was walking toward Alex's rooms on the far side of the palace. Her footsteps fell silently on the marble floors, and indeed she looked like a ghost, shrouded in white, bathed in silver.

Alex's door stood ajar, but his rooms were as empty as the rest of the palace. His bed had not been slept in that night, and if Sveta had not known the rooms to be his, there would be no way of knowing they were. His few possessions were tucked away into closets, his clothes hidden in drawers.

She left, keeping the door open, and drifted further down the hall, feeling dreamlike and sleepy once more.

Then she felt it, and knew that she had not imagined it. A shadow, a darkness, pounding in her head, so fierce that she cried out, clutching at the base of her skull. Worried by her pain, Djinn appeared around their mistress, circling and crying her name to no avail.

The pain lessened as Sveta grew used to it, and slowly she reached out her mind, trying to trace the source, searching, searching out…

She latched on to the mind of someone alien to her.

_"No guards…suppose that's why the people love her? Too bad she'll learn the lesson too late. Ah, there he is…."_

_A blue-haired man stood in a moon-stained room, reading a book until a noise roused his attention. He turned, and caught only the faint flash of a knife…_

"Alex!"

Sveta ran as she could scarce recall running ever before. Her feet flew beneath her, no longer concerned with silence. Behind her she heard doors bang open in response to her yell, but she had no time to answer questions. She turned a corner, nearly slipped, and continued, feeling herself moving closer and closer to the thoughts. There—the library door. She pushed it open—

The would-be assassin lunged, his knife, fangs, claws all silver in the moonlight as Alex turned, caught by surprise, unable to block the attack.

Blade met flesh with a ripping sound, and crimson stained the floor. A jet of water hurled the assassin across the room, where he hit his head and crumpled on the ground, not quite dead, though blood and brains were spilling out of the crack in his head.

Alex caught Sveta as she fell. "You…you…"

Her breathing was rapid and shallow, her eyelids fluttering as she fought to focus in on his face. The assassin's knife had ripped from sternum to stomach, while his claws had scored deep gouges in her arms and across her face. Her silk robe was shredded and stained red.

"Didn't…don't…regret…" Blood bubbled out of her mouth as she tried to speak. Her green eyes closed and didn't open again for a long few seconds.

"You'll have scars," Alex muttered as he quickly lowered her limp body down onto the floor, where a dark pool was already spreading beneath her. "But you'll live."

It had been long enough since he had conjured the Psynergy that it was more difficult than it should have been, but he thought briefly of Mia and the days, decades ago, when he had healed every day in the village of Imil. Then, almost unthinking, the Psynergy rushed down his arms, more taxing than any move he used to kill, and the queen of Morgal was enveloped in a shining white-blue light.

"Pure Ply!"

One by one, her wounds slowly healed, though as he had promised, there were scars, ugly, knotted things across her chest and on one side of her face. She looked deathly white, but the blood was no longer pouring from her body.

Her eyelids fluttered again and opened to show those lovely green eyes. She took in his face slowly, almost wonderingly.

The wooden doors of the library banged open, and beastmen ran in—first a pair of nobles who shared a room just down the hall, then servants, and guards, and others who had been roused by the noise—and saw their queen.

"No! Your Majesty!" one of the nobles ran forward, while the other looked around the room to see the corpse.

Sveta sat up slowly, looking around. "An assassin…"

Several of the beastmen could not hold in gasps at the sight of her newly-earned scars. The noble who had first rushed to her looked between her and Alex.

"Someone tried to kill the queen?"

Sveta shook her head. "No…someone tried to kill Alex."

The assassin's body lay abandoned against the far wall as the people helped their queen out of the library, blood slowly oozing from the skull. The beastman was dead now, his eyes half-open and reflecting the moon.

A second shadowy figure joined the corpse, rummaging through his pockets and coming up with a bag of golden coins. They jingled faintly in their pouch as the beastman pocketed them. The figure straightened, showing a willowy figure and long legs, a patch of spotted fur gleaming on her shoulder before she turned and disappeared through the window.

_"One failure…"_

* * *

**A/N: Due to my muses (and to all of you lovelies, but I'll get to you in a minute) I have decided to continue this. I have no promises about how regular updates may be, especially with school coming, but I will work on this story as best as I can.**

**To everyone who read and reviewed, thank you so much. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well as the last one, and we can hope I'll have time to work on a third!**


	3. Rifts in the Shallows

**Chapter Three**

**Rifts in the Shallows**

"You're lucky to be alive."

"I don't regret it."

"If I was anyone else, you would be dead."

"I'm quite lucky it was you, then."

"You could have used Psynergy—something, anything…"

"There was no time!"

"There's always time!"

"I was trying to save your life!"

"I saved _yours_!"

"Your Majesty, I brought you your lunch—"

The servant girl stopped mid-sentence, startled by the argument in front of her. Sveta was sitting up in bed, her scars bandaged over one side of her face and down her torso. She was wearing a thin silk robe, but the outlines of the heavy wrappings underneath showed through the cloth. Alex was sitting next to her, leaning over so their faces were nearly touching. At the sound of the door opening, they both whirled to face the girl, who stepped backward.

"I-if I'm interrupting, I can come back later," the servant said, motioning with the tray in her hands. Sveta's face softened and she attempted a smile, but pain shot through the left side of her face and she grimaced.

"No, no, that's fine," she said. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to frighten you."

The servant scurried over to the bedside and placed the tray down on the table before giving a hasty bow and nearly fleeing from the room.

"Am I really that intimidating?" Alex asked, a smile curling around his lips as he attempted to lighten the mood. Sveta didn't respond, shifting her lunch from the bedside table to her lap and digging in. Alex sighed.

"In that case, I'll see you later." He stood and crossed to the door, opening it to find the antechamber filled with people—guards, healers, and Sveta's attendants. Alex didn't acknowledge them, but as he left the room several of them returned to the queen's chamber.

The halls of the palace were far busier than usual. Ever since the incident two nights previous, the guard had been doubled. The palace had been closed to the people, an action that had caused much muttering throughout the capital. Only the people in her court knew what had happened, and many of them had only a vague idea. Out in the city, rumors spread like wildfire.

Sveta was healing rapidly, thanks in part to her own Psynergy, but her court had gone from mistrusting Alex to hating him. Many of the nobles blamed him for her injuries—a blame he couldn't wholeheartedly dispute, and yet…he had hoped they would at least be grateful to him for saving her life.

His investigation into the assassination had been brief and hampered by the beastmen's refusal to cooperate. He was expected to be at Sveta's side nearly all the time, and in any case it was hard to find good suspects when it seemed that everyone was an enemy. For once he regretted burning bridges.

Then there was the worry that there would be more attempts. Alex had no doubts that he could fend off any assassin, but if Sveta was caught in the crossfire…

He ground his teeth together and continued down the hall, almost running over a stooped man wearing heavily embroidered clothing.

"Ah!" The man tried to get out of Alex's way, instead tripping on his own overlong cloak and sprawling on the ground.

"My apologies," Alex said, holding out a hand to help the beastman up. "Pardon , but I don't think I've heard your name before."

"Oretal, m'lord, Oretal," the man said quickly, giving a brief smile. "I serve on Her Majesty's council of finance…not for much longer, though. I'm an old man now."

Alex didn't smile. "Do you know who I am?"

Oretal's smile flickered for an instant. "Of course. You're the Queen's fiancé. Pardon me for saying so, m'lord, but you do stick out quite a bit, not being a beastman and all. Probably anyone in the capital could identify you on sight."

Alex gave a small smile. "I see. You simply startled me. I'm not used to that form of address…many of your fellows seem to find it much more appropriate to call me 'bastard.'"

Oretal shook his head, still smiling. "Ah, m'lord, if you ask me, they're just jealous."

"Jealous?" Alex raised one eyebrow.

"Sure, sure. Any of them would love to be bedding as fine a creature as the Queen…"

Alex's eyes narrowed, his smile vanishing.

"I'm sorry, m'lord. That was out of my place, wasn't it," Oretal said quickly, scratching his head. "Please don't mind me. Mind's not as sharp as it once was. I'll say it again—I'm old. Now I really should be going. My apologies, but I'm late for a meeting."

He inclined his head, still smiling, and turned and hurried the way Alex had come, quickly disappearing amongst the other people crowding the hall. Alex watched him go, tilting his head slightly.

_Now…that's interesting._

* * *

It was a bad time of the year to be traveling, Himi thought. The journey to Ayuthay, which had been mainly aboard the ship, had been one thing—the heat was comfortable when she could relax against the ship's rails, a light breeze on her face. The past weeks of travel had been painful; her skin was beginning to flake where it had burned in the sun. Now that the two of them were entering the mountains, the warmth was more bearable, but the nights were frigid and windy.

If her companion minded the weather, he didn't mention it. In fact, unless she spoke to him directly, Felix didn't say much at all.

Amiti had recommended that they take the route through Passaj, but Felix had been against that idea.

"Even on the off-chance that there aren't Morgal spies there, we couldn't activate the Alchemy Forge to take the cloud passage. We'd be best looping around to the east, towards Sana, and crossing the mountains there. We would avoid Morgal forces that way as well," he had said, and though Amiti did not look too happy about it, he had agreed. Himi didn't mind this route, though she had been hoping she might see Baghi and how Passaj was faring, even if her only visit there had been brief and impersonal.

The two of them were currently camped together somewhere in the midst of the range. Night had fallen slowly, but by now it was very dark, though the sky was sprinkled with stars. The two of them sat on either side of a campfire, Himi polishing the Masamune in her lap while Felix stared into the flames.

She was passing the cloth over the blade for the third time when Felix spoke.

"You look more like Susa than Kushinada, you know."

Himi jumped, but looked up, meeting his gaze earnestly through the flames. "Oh, thank you. Many people say I look more similar to my mother."

Felix shook his head. "Kushinada was beautiful, but you have the same spirit in your eyes as Susa. The same fight. That's a better indicator anyway."

Himi cleared her throat before continuing. "…Felix, if you don't mind, would you tell me what you know about Alex?" It still felt awkward to her to address him by his first name, but he had insisted.

Felix sighed. "…I don't mind. I…just don't like thinking about it. Let's see…I first met Alex in Prox, when I was rather young. He never paid me much attention, since he was only concerned with Saturos and Menardi. The Proxians respected him, that much I know. He journeyed with us across the North when we returned to Vale."

He shifted as though uncomfortable and pulled his cloak tighter around himself. "Though Saturos was the leader of our group, Alex never seemed to be under his direction—he would do what he wanted. When we invaded Sol Sanctum, it was he who suggested taking Jenna hostage."

Felix's face darkened as he stared into the flames. "He had no qualms about using her to control me, or vice versa. Jenna hated him. When we parted ways near Daila, all of us were glad to see the back of him. Until we met him again in Champa, and he threatened us again. Forced us to light Jupiter, where he betrayed Karst and Agatio to help us. That was the last we saw him. It seemed strange, at the time—I had been sure he would return to Prox to make sure we lit Mars. We didn't, but we were committed. Later, we learned why he wasn't there. He returned to Vale and climbed Mount Aleph. He knew that was where the Golden Sun would rise, and he was determined to receive its power. Something went wrong…Mount Aleph broke apart in the force of the Sun's rising, and no one saw him again. We all assumed him dead, and for thirty years there was nothing."

An owl hooted somewhere in the surrounding woods. The sound echoed eerily in the night.

Felix smiled. "I wish he could have stayed dead."

"It is still strange for me to call him Alex," Himi said. "He introduced himself to us as Arcanus—I suppose because he was working with the Tuapparang."

"I've heard of them before," Felix said. "Across Weyard. The High Empyror sends his minions wherever hints of power lurk. They attempted to violate Anemos Sanctum in Contigo—were it not for the Djinn Gate in place, they would have. Piers used to worry about them finding Lemuria, but the currents in the Sea of Time became so violent after the Golden Sun, there was no way for us to tell."

"Did you travel with Piers?" Himi asked, curious.

"A few years here and there," Felix said vaguely, before glancing up at the sky. The moon was high and round, shining like a brilliant pearl. "…It's late. We need to get an early start tomorrow, before the storms break."

Himi nodded and sheathed the Masamune, fixing it to her waist and untying her belt, setting it to one side before lying down. "Buckle, wake me at sunrise."

The Venus Djinni blinked into existence and squeaked in agreement, before waddling behind the campfire and joining the other Djinn, both Felix's and Himi's, who had gotten to know each other well over the trip. Himi supposed it helped that they were all Venus; frequently Djinn of differing elements found it more difficult to get along.

She pulled her own cloak over her head to keep her ears warm. Her thin silk clothes seemed to grow colder and colder with each day.

Himi fell asleep with barely a thought.

* * *

The sun had barely risen over Belinsk, but at least one inhabitant was already awake in the courtyard of the palace. Three targets stood at either end, while a slim figure stood in the center, perfectly still until her green eyes opened and she snapped into motion.

Fiercely sharp claws, enhanced by steel, ripped through the first target, while a whirlwind destroyed the second. Thunder struck the third an instant after, while the figure transformed, her face elongating, and fur covering her. The next target was utterly destroyed, pieces of cloth and fabric littering the yard while the beastman returned to her original form, breathing more heavily than usual.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Another beastman hurried across the courtyard, wringing his curled hands. "No, no, no! You'll reopen your wounds."

"I must practice," Sveta said stubbornly, though she allowed the palace healer to gently grab her neck, turning her head either way to give himself a good look at her scars.

"There doesn't seem to be any residual bleeding," he said dubiously, dropping his hands.

"Of course there's not any residual bleeding," came an impatient voice from across the courtyard. Alex strode across to his queen. "The bandages are useless. The wounds are closed, Lord Healer."

"They can still open," the healer said, equally testy. "I trust you have confidence in your own healing abilities, but isn't it better to be safer when it comes to the health of the Queen?"

"Not when it's a waste of her time. She's right—honing her own skills is much more important than appeasing you, Lord Healer…"

"I am right here!" Sveta said sharply, glaring at both of them in turn. "Stop this arguing. Alex, the Healer believes that checkups will do me well, and I trust him. No one is saying your healing was not perfectly adequate."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," the healer said, inclining his head. "Now, about the opera tonight—"

"I will go, of course," Sveta said.

"But the people do not know you have been injured. To see the scars will surely cause much controversy…"

"Quite the opposite," Sveta said briskly, striding across the courtyard. The healer had to run to stay by her side. "Hopefully news of my injuries will reach the perpetrators of the attack. If Alex really is their target, and they are acting out of supposed loyalty to me, they will see that I was injured and perhaps cease their attempts."

"That does make sense," the healer said grudgingly, and Sveta smiled.

"I am sorry, but I do believe that at this point it is much better for the people to see me. Hiding in the palace, surrounded by guards, will only increase suspicion, and I cannot alienate my subjects at a time like this."

"If you will, Your Majesty. I take my leave." He bowed briefly before hurrying ahead of them and disappearing into the palace.

"Now that's done…were you watching me the entire time I was training?" Sveta demanded, rounding on Alex, who feigned a look of innocence.

"Well, what else did you want me to do at this time of morning? You weren't in your chambers, and so I came looking for you."

"You distract me."

"Well, we can't have that," Alex said, standing back. "Carry on. As if I'm not here. Come on."

"It's not that easy," Sveta said, narrowing her green eyes.

"In that case…why not spar with me? It would be a great deal better practice than fighting targets, I'm sure."

Sveta's ears twitched. "You…? But…"

"I won't hurt you," Alex said, his usual smirk playing about his lips. "I doubt, of course, if you even have to say the same to me…"

"A taunt!" She leaped toward him in an instant, her claws outstretched and her teeth bared in a snarl. He blocked with his arms, pushing her backward, and she tried again, aiming with a kick this time, though he deflected that as well…

On and on until finally Sveta stood still, panting as sweat dripped down her face. "You were right. That was a much better workout than the targets. I'll have to wash before lunch, I'm afraid…"

"Shall I accompany you?" Alex asked, wiping his own brow. "I think I still have some energy left over."

"If you must."

* * *

Norkevek was frightening in his anger, as he stormed back and forth across the room. His clothes billowed about him as he turned and turned again. "I pay you for a good clean kill, and this is what you give me?"

"I'm sorry it didn't go as planned," Silverstorm said from her position beside the window. "Next time I will send someone far more capable. I assumed a non-beastman—"

"Well, stop assuming then," Norkevek snapped, silencing her. "Now the Queen's been injured and everyone's on their highest watch, if what Oretal's been telling me is true…"

"It is, my lord," said the thin nobleman in his reedy voice.

They were in Norkevek's home, in his spacious study. The window was opened and the curtains swayed in the breeze. The room was painted light, while the floor was covered with woven rugs. Oretal had seated himself at Norkevek's desk, while Torren was sprawled across a pile of cushions in one corner. The door had been locked and Norkevek's pair of servants told not to disturb them, though Norkevek had also erected Psynergy barriers in order to prevent any eavesdropping.

"I won't tolerate another failure!" Norkevek roared, latching his claw-like hands onto Silverstorm's shoulders. She lifted a hand and carefully pried them out, her eyes disdainful.

"And I've told you I'll finish the job. Obstacles don't mean anything. Opportunities will always present themselves to someone who is patient enough to wait."

"I am not patient," Norkevek hissed, though he turned away from her. "…In the meantime, I will speak to the Queen."

"You will?" Torren sat up abruptly from his lounge on the couch, looking surprised. "When? Non-nobles aren't allowed into the palace anymore, now…"

"Her Majesty is going to the opera tonight," Norkevek said with an air of triumph. "No matter how many guards there are, there will be an opening, even as Silverstorm says." He gave her a mocking bow. "I will approach the Queen and speak to her as a friend. I won't even mention what I desire of her. She will see only an earnest beastman."

Torren snorted, and though Norkevek's eyes flickered in his direction he said nothing.

"I'll be on my way, then," Silverstorm said, standing and striding to the door. Norkevek blocked her path.

"Remember, no failures."

Oretal stood as well, opening the door and giving Norkevek a shaky bow. "Until later, Lord Norkevek. Perhaps I will see you at the opera tonight. Goodness knows we could all do with a night out." He pulled the door closed behind him, but barely a second had passed before it opened again and one of Norkevek's slaves entered.

He was a human, middle-aged, bald and with a tattoo on his back to symbolize ownership. He had been one of the Sanans captured during Volechek's great uprising against them so many years ago. Norkevek, close to the king at that time, had been permitted to keep him as a slave.

"Would you care for anything, Lord Norkevek?"

"Wine'd be nice," Torren rasped from the couch, where he was picking at one of his claws.

"Wine for my guest, and bring me a selection of my finest clothes," Norkevek said. "I don't want them dusty or you'll pay the price."

"M'lord," the slave muttered, bowing his head and disappearing out the door.

"You can see the defiance in his eyes," Torren chuckled, standing and stretching. "Fool humans. I wonder if it causes him much pain, knowing he'll never see his homeland again?"

"I don't much care as long as he continues to do his job," Norkevek said dryly, striding over to the window and gazing out over Belinsk. In the distance, the palace glinted in the sunlight of high noon, Volechek's tomb behind it. "The skyline looks wrong with the tomb there."

"What was that?" Torren asked, glancing, vaguely interested, over at his host.

"Oh, nothing. Just a bit of sentimentality, I suppose," Norkevek said, turning his back on the window. "Nothing of substance. In any case, I suppose we should be getting ready."

"We do have an assassination to plan," Torren agreed.

* * *

"How do you suppose those two are doing?" Amiti asked for what must have been the twentieth time that day. Eoleo could sympathize with the king—he, too, worried about their friends—but it grew old to hear him ask the same question, day after day.

"They're fine," Eoleo said gruffly. "Felix knows what he's doin', and Himi's just as skilled, if less experienced. If you're that worried, just send 'em a Djinni."

"I don't wish to draw attention to them," Amiti said impatiently. "If they're already in the capital, Alex might be able to feel a Djinni. I don't know the extent of his ability, and I'd rather not test it at the cost of our friends."

The two were sitting in the open-air throne room of Ayuthay, cloth draped over their heads to protect from the ever present sunlight. Amiti had dismissed his female attendants, though servants came in a steady stream to ensure they wanted for nothing. Amiti was lounging across the throne, while Eoleo stood, uncomfortable with sitting too long.

"Have you gotten any news from your troops up north?" Eoleo asked, though he was fairly sure that Amiti would have told him if such news was to be had.

"They're not making much ground against the beastmen," Amiti sighed. "Not that I expected them to, really…only a handful of Ayuthayans possess any sort of Psynergy at all, but it's nearly universal among the beastmen. Add in their physical strength…and I'll be lucky to even speak to Sveta again before her troops kill us."

"You're in a bad mood today," Eoleo said. "What's your problem? Fall out of bed while you were asleep or somethin'?"

"I'm just…worried," Amiti said, looking away from the pirate. "Truth be told, I wish I could have gone with Himi. I want to see Alex again—I want answers. But I have a duty to my people here, and so I stay here."

"What do you mean, you want answers?" Eoleo asked, intrigued by what seemed to be a slip on Amiti's part. "Alex—slippery bastard—he's not goin' to tell us anythin', or have you forgotten what he was like all the other times we ran into him?"

"What does he want with Sveta though? Morgal? Ayuthay? Or is there something in Kaocho that he wants, and that's why Morgal conquered it?" Amiti rubbed his face vigorously, and again it struck Eoleo how odd his old companion looked—a gaunt man, older than either of them, stared out of Amiti's eyes, while his skin, his body, still appeared the same as it had on their travels years ago. Apart from the beard that now graced his cheeks, he could have easily passed for a teenager again, the naïve prince who believed he was born of a virgin.

"Speculatin's not goin' to do us any good now," Eoleo said bracingly. "No point in workin' yourself up over what-ifs. He wants somethin', that's for sure, but that's what Himi and Felix have gone to find out. We're to worry about us, not them."

"Easier said than done," Amiti muttered. "Himi…she will be all right, won't she?"

"Sure, she has Felix with her, and she can hold her own," Eoleo said. "Though from that point, it really should be me goin' with her. I promised her father I'd look after her, after all."

"You can tell him you passed your duties on to Felix," Amiti said. "I'm sure Susa would be more comfortable knowing his daughter's life was in the hands of the man who saved his wife, as opposed to…well, a sea vagabond."

"I'm not a sea vagabond, I'm a pirate," Eoleo said hotly.

"What's the difference?"

"Vagabonds don't got morals. I've got morals. The Champa pirates don't kill, you might have heard, unless our own lives are threatened. We never steal from poor villages or attack people who can't afford to lose some money…"

"I've heard the same stories of Lunpa, the noble thief," Amiti said, his brow wrinkling. "And, you know, I never agreed with that. No matter how many morals a criminal has, he is still a criminal. A thief is a thief whether he steals from the rich or the poor. A pirate is a pirate whether he kills or not. If you don't like the title vagabond, get a new business."

"So you think all people are cut from the same cloth?" Eoleo asked. "You think I'm the same as Dodonpa, the evil thief? You think I'm as bad as any number of pirates who kill and steal and rape regardless of who their victims are?"

"I think you have the capacity to do those things," Amiti said flatly. "I think we all do. …You know, I spoke to Rief of this at length during our travels. His mother, the healer Mia, was Alex's cousin. She knew him well from a young age. He grew up smart, he grew up obedient…he was the perfect student. Now he's orchestrated the ruin of the world, wrangled an impossible power for himself, and his motives are known only to him. Was it him, or was it everyone else?"

"Of course it was him!" Eoleo said, looking around sharply. "If you blame others for his crimes, you're excusin' him! He made the choices—he killed the people, he made the plans. Him and no one else."

"No one else?" Amiti echoed. "You think he was not impacted by others at all? That is a foolish thing to say."

"Everyone's goin' to face difficulties," Eoleo said angrily. "Everyone. It's not the difficulties we face that make us, it's our response. If you choose to become twisted by them, fine, maybe it's…well, that's still your choice."

"We can't choose how we feel! We can't choose how we think!" Amiti said, rising from the chair, one arm half-raised.

"Then choose what you do, at the very least!"

The two stood glaring at each other, their faces inches apart—red hair and blue hair, fire and water. It was Amiti who turned away first, settling himself back down onto his throne.

"…I apologize. I shouldn't have lost my temper. I was simply on edge from thinking of Felix and Himi, and now…"

"I know," Eoleo said roughly. "I'm stressed too. But we can't fight, not now, or we'll be lettin' our friends down. I'll just go…go back to my room."

Amiti nodded. "I'll see you at dinner."

He sat motionless for a long time after the pirate left, slumped, his head clenched in one hand, his hair falling messily into his face, and he didn't move until the sun had begun to set.

* * *

Many miles away across the mountains, the same sun was setting over Belinsk, casting its light onto the buildings. The city was busy at this time of day, especially on a night when the opera house was open and showing a performance.

Ever since Sveta had taken the throne, the opera had seen a gigantic increase in popularity. During Volechek's rule, not many subjects were open to write about—the Sanans, Bilibin, and any of the issues that plagued the country seemed off-limits. With no new shows, the opera house opened to the same plays night after night, until it fell out of use but for rare occasions.

Sveta had lifted many of those restrictions. Relations with Sana and Bilibin, while certainly not perfect, were improving, and operas featuring those two countries became more popular. Others, older shows about the Warriors of Vale or newer ones about the Grave Eclipse, became popular. Though many citizens were away in the south, fighting the Kaocho-Ayuthay War, the opera remained a popular pastime at home.

Sveta, however, couldn't honestly say she enjoyed many of the shows.

The ones about the Grave Eclipse, especially, hit somewhere too close to home. Perhaps it was seeing a pale recreation of Volechek's face on an actor, or seeing Amiti and being reminded of the war looming large, but no matter the cause, she found them difficult to enjoy. She went more to remain visible to the people and to socialize than because of any desire of her own.

The few times Alex had accompanied her, he had seemed to enjoy it—head on his hand, elbow resting on the balcony as he watched the stage with those piercing blue eyes. His expression rarely changed, though occasionally he would laugh at a joke or glance sideways at Sveta. The only time she could sense his demeanor changing was when they attended the show about the Warriors of Vale—when his character was included, his eyes would narrow and he seemed to tense. That particular opera hadn't been shown in over a year, by request from the Queen.

Tonight, the turnout was large. Many of the people, Sveta supposed, might be eager to see her there, wanting an explanation for the increased security around the palace. She didn't remember what the show was, probably for the better.

She waited outside the doors of the opera house, trying to steel herself for what was to come. People, she knew, would stare at her scars—ask questions, demand answers she didn't have. She felt vulnerable, going in front of her people without an explanation for them. As Queen, she represented the strength of the people, a strength that seemed to have been rent in two by the attack—and by a beastman.

Sveta sighed and lifted a claw to fiddle with her tiara, a bad habit she found occupying her whenever she let herself worry too much.

Tonight, determined to prove her strength survived, she wore no dresses or cloaks. Her garb was that of a soldier, if far more decorated than an ordinary beastman's. The garment folded in around itself at the neckline, buttoned with topaz. The tunic flowed down her torso, then separated into a front and back piece at her legs. The shirt was the colors of fire, a flowing red, orange, and yellow, in wild stripes meant to represent the Roc, the symbol of the royal family. Her pants, emerging from beneath the tunic, were black silk, collected at the ankles. She had hoped the garb of a warrior would make her braver, but the exact opposite seemed true.

"Don't fidget," Alex reprimanded her quietly, catching her hand before she had the chance to rub at her crown any longer. "You have no reason to fear, Sveta—the people are wholeheartedly yours."

"Are they?" she murmured, silently enough that even Alex, standing directly beside her, did not hear.

"You cannot hide out here forever," Alex said. A hint of impatience colored his voice now, though Sveta chose to ignore it. "You wouldn't want to miss the show, would you…?"

"…No," Sveta said finally. "You're right. I have to do this." She took another deep breath before striding forward and throwing the doors to the opera house open, Alex and her guards following behind.

Instantly the other guests turned and silence fell as they cleared a pathway for her. Almost in unison, her people bowed.

The light shining in from outside reflected eerily off her skin, highlighting the raised, bumpy skin where her scars remained. The silence persisted, but her people were no longer looking at her. They exchanged furtive glances, then mutterings, and then…

"Silence!" Sveta raised a claw and her people obeyed, settling down. "I know that my scars—my wounds may trouble some of you. I know that many of you will wonder about my reclusion these past days—and here is the reason."

There was more whispering. She waited until it passed to speak again.

"Three days ago, in the dead of night, a would-be killer stole into the palace. How, exactly, we do not yet know. He wounded me. I would be dead now, had Alex not been present."

The gaze of nearly all the members of the crowd drifted back to the masked figure standing behind her. The mutters grew louder, until one beastman at the forefront spoke.

"Your Majesty, who was this assailant?"

"He was a beastman," Sveta acknowledged. This statement led to the biggest outburst of whispering so far, but Sveta refused to stop speaking. "He was killed before we had a chance to interrogate him. The palace security has been increased. We do not know whether this was an isolated incident. Nonetheless, this attack means nothing! I have survived, and I will continue to do so! Any further attackers wage war not just on me, but on all of Morgal!"

Her words were met with a great roar of approval. A woman standing near the front called out, above the crowd, "Long live Queen Sveta! Long live the Czamarals!"

"Please, everyone, enjoy the opera tonight!" Sveta cried over the noise. Slowly the roar died down as the beastmen began to talk to each other and enter the auditorium to find their seats. Many of them approached Sveta, insisting upon pressing gifts into her hands or asking her whether her scars still ached. Her smile became more and more forced, and she was relieved beyond belief when one of her guards told her that the show would be starting soon, and it would be advisable to find her seat.

The balcony was traditionally reserved for any nobles or upper-class citizens, but tonight her soldiers had prohibited anyone else from entering, for which Sveta was very grateful. She was halfway up the stairs, Alex at her side, when a call from behind her caught her attention.

"Queen Sveta! Your Majesty!"

She turned. A beastman stood at the foot of the stairs, young but with a lined face. He had dark hair braided down over his shoulders. His clothes showed the mark of wealth, but he couldn't have been a noble, for Sveta couldn't remember ever seeing him before.

And yet he looked familiar, somehow…

"Yes?" she asked. He climbed the stairs to bridge the distance between them and then gave a brief bow. He met her eyes and smiled. It was a warm smile, yet somehow it reminded her of something rotten, and a chill ran down her spine.

"I don't suppose you would remember me, Your Majesty, but my name is Norkevek. I was a good friend of your brother, and I knew you when you were young."

The name rang no bells in her memory, but Sveta supposed that explained why his face was familiar to her.

"You have the look of a noble—were you a member of my brother's court?"

"Yes, I was, once," Norkevek said, his smile fading somewhat. "No longer. I…I made a rash decision, and your brother never forgave me. I left court of my own volition, but I missed him. He was like a brother to me, and though I know my loss cannot compare to your own, I grieved when I heard of his death."

"Thank you," Sveta said, returning his smile. "I cannot say I remember you. If you are no longer a member of the court, may I ask what you do for a living?"

"I'm a merchant," Norkevek said. "Well, in reality, I was even when I served your brother—that was one of the causes of our falling out. But now…business isn't as good as it once was. The wars are profitable for some, but I fear they have cut me off from my main clients."

"Of course I cannot apologize for the wars," Sveta said, her ears twitching. "But I am sorry to hear you have fallen on hard times…"

"I'm not as quick as I once was, but even now, I think I could be –"

Alex intervened suddenly, despite his silence while the other two had spoken. "Sveta, we'll be late for the opera. You really must come."

"Yes, of course," Sveta said, looking back and forth between them. On the one hand, she was relieved to be free of the awkward situation, but on the other, she truly wanted to know this beastman better. "Norkevek, may I introduce my fiancé, Alex?"

"I have heard much about you, my lord," Norkevek said pleasantly, inclining his head to Alex.

"And all of it bad?" Alex asked with a humorless smile. For once, it seemed, Norkevek was lost for words.

"Perhaps we will speak again, Norkevek," Sveta said, grabbing Alex's hand and steering him away from the beastman. "For now, I must be going."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Norkevek said. He bowed for a final time and descended the staircase without looking back.

"Did you read his mind?" Alex asked in a low tone, when Norkevek was out of earshot.

"No, of course not," Sveta said, affronted. "People deserve a measure of privacy, and he seemed quite sincere."

"Maybe I'm paranoid," Alex said. "But I suspect he wanted something from you. Promise me, from now on you'll watch out more carefully. Whoever the assassin was, I doubt he was working alone."

"Yes, if I must," Sveta said reluctantly, continuing up the stairs; her soldiers parted to make way for her.

The auditorium was already dimly lit, but luckily the show hadn't started yet. Alex and Sveta seated themselves in the front seats of the balcony. Alex leaned close to her, and she felt his hair brush the side of her face as he whispered.

"You didn't mention that the assassin meant to kill me when you spoke to the people."

"I didn't see the necessity in making them blame you for my injuries," Sveta said.

"You really are too kind," Alex said, giving a low laugh before leaning back in his chair. Then, before Sveta could respond, the curtain opened, and the show began.

* * *

**A/N: So, here we have it! The long-awaited (is it? Does anyone really read this monster? Damn if I know) third chapter! Yes, I am still alive, and still working tirelessly to bring you more angst and pain. And romance. But mostly angst and pain. As a side note, I've decided to use chapter titles, which are likely to change at any moment, if I come up with something I like more.**

**Once more, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review this beast! I'm writing for you guys, and you know reviews are like the elixir of life to fanfiction authors such as I!**

**As a final note, Mystery Box mentioned potential shipping names for this pairing, and both of us like Beastshipping. So, I hereby attempt to coin Alex/Sveta as Beastshipping.**

**Have a nice day!**


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